


Saturday Sundaes

by spreadyovrwings



Category: Undrafted (2016)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-13
Updated: 2020-08-13
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:55:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 20,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25882447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spreadyovrwings/pseuds/spreadyovrwings
Summary: He stayed because it was different, and because it was nice hanging out with guys his age again, and even though it was hot, and boring, and he’d become the poster boy for bench-warming, it was worth it.It was worth it because of her.
Relationships: David Stein/Original Female Character
Comments: 1
Kudos: 3





	Saturday Sundaes

**Author's Note:**

> This came about for two reasons:
> 
> 1) I noticed David kept disappearing from the dugout when he’s supposed to have ‘spent his whole life on the bench’  
> 2) I’m in love with him
> 
> Also, this was meant to be a reader fic but then we named her and I got attached- I’m SORRY OKAY
> 
> It also wasn’t meant to be half this long but, as always, I got carried away lmao

_Why do you even bother showing up?_

It was a question David got asked a lot. First it was his friends, then the other D-Backs, then the guys on the opposing teams (that was when it got a little embarrassing). Why bother turning up to game after game if he was benched before he even stepped onto the field?

When he first excitedly told his very few friends that he’d signed up for a local team, they thought he was kidding. David wasn’t exactly built for baseball and apart from throwing a ball around with his older brothers when they were kids, he’d never actually played. The closest he’d come to baseball before he joined the D-Backs was the odd high school home game, and he was always dragged to those.

Even his parents weren’t thrilled about him joining. His mother always worried far too much and Mr. Stein could list a hundred better uses for his time, including getting a real job. 

But David had come home from college finding he lacked friends, and he needed an outlet for his bundles of energy. The D-Backs didn’t even have try-outs, he just showed up one day, and he was in. He supposed he should’ve known then what he was signing up for. 

He stayed because it was different, and because it was nice hanging out with guys his age again, and even though it was hot, and boring, and he’d become the poster boy for bench-warming, it was worth it.

It was worth it because of her. 

He met Daisy on his very first day, before he’d even walked onto the field. 

David had been a nervous wreck all morning. He couldn’t find his new sneakers, bought just three days ago and yet to be broken in. He prayed they wouldn’t hurt his feet too badly later as he rushed around the house, searching for his car keys.

He’d always hated being late, but it was just something that happened to him, he couldn’t avoid it. David drove so fast, it was a miracle he didn’t get pulled over, but it meant that when he finally arrived at the field, he’d caught up with himself, and he was a few minutes early.

He sat for a moment, squeezing the steering wheel nervously. He alternated his hands in time with the bass rattling his old speakers, hoping that if he focused on the rhythm, it would keep his mind off the apprehension gnawing at him. No such luck. 

He could see the diamond from here. There were already a few guys in red stretching on the grass, like poppies in a field. David sighed and crossed his arms over the wheel, pressing his face against his folded forearms first, then resting his chin on top. 

It wasn’t often he was nervous. David liked to think he was good with new people. He wasn’t shy at all and had no trouble making friends, but joining a team, no matter how remedial, was terrifying. There was a pressure he’d never really had to deal with before, and it left him feeling queasy. 

It took David far longer than he’d care to admit to gather his nerves, take a deep breath, and push open the car door, but as he drew closer to the field, his courage faltered again. 

David swayed on the lip of the parking lot, just before the ground sloped down and formed a small path, leading right to the open gate of the field. He pulled his bottom lip between his teeth, his toes hanging over the edge of the ridge, his heels on solid ground.

There were a few boys in the dugout too, shielding themselves from the hot sun. His new teammates. They were all talking as they got ready, in pairs or threes, laughing between swigs of their water bottles. 

David only recognised Ty, the coach. He was standing by the mouth of the dugout, scribbling notes down on a clipboard. He seemed nice enough when David signed up, a little impatient, but passionate and enthusiastic. He hoped the others were as friendly.

David was just a few meters from the fence when he lost his nerve completely. Why was he doing this to himself? Maybe he should’ve just found a summer job like his father suggested. Even the idea of planning for his future seemed less terrifying than this.

David swore under his breath, swivelling his whole body as he looked for somewhere to take a quick breather before he went up to introduce himself. His thoughts were all over the place, his stomach in knots. He just needed a moment, and salvation came in the form of the concession stand. 

It didn’t look like much from the outside, just a small, squat concrete building with one door in the middle of its face. It sat close enough to the field that you could pull yourself away from the game and grab a snack without missing a moment, but far away enough that David felt safe ducking through its door.

The store was a lot bigger than it appeared from the outside. Tables and chairs lined one wall, and at the back sat shelves and shelves of candy, chips, and a drinks fridge. An old AC unit groaned in the corner, keeping the _Snack Shack_ cool, even on the hottest summer days. Opposite the tables, and taking up the rest of the store. was an L-shaped counter, with an ice cream station at the short end, and stools dotted along its spine. 

David paused in the doorway, unsure if he was allowed in or not. The store was completely empty, but he could smell food cooking somewhere in the back. There was no closed sign, and the door was wide open, so he thought it was safe.

He didn’t see the girl until he was standing right next to her. David froze, surprised. She was so still, she looked like part of the furniture. She was sitting on the counter, her feet resting on the cracked red vinyl of one of the stools. Her face was buried in a book.

Ignoring his racing heart, David straightened up and went to grab a drink, his thoughts momentarily straying to the ice-cold flask he’d forgotten on the kitchen counter. 

The silence in the store made him uncomfortably aware of his every movement, but he tried to just enjoy the crisp air from the AC before he was forced back out into the baking heat to face the Diamondbacks.

Daisy turned a page, letting the edge of the paper slowly graze the pad of her thumb. The store was so quiet at this time of day. All the boys were already on the field, and when there was no game to watch, there were no spectators to bother her either. It was peaceful, if a little boring. 

She didn’t notice the boy was there until he passed by her. She looked up, startled, and watched him walk up to the drinks fridge over the top of her book

She didn’t have much to go on, just the tufts of dark hair sticking out of the bottom of his cap and the big ‘8′ crudely drawn on the back of his shirt in black marker, but she was sure she hadn’t seen this kid before. Daisy had spent far more hours than she was happy with in this store, so she knew their faces well, even if she didn’t have all their names. She didn’t think she’d seen his before.

“Are you new?”

The boy jumped, like she’d caught him stealing. He shut the fridge door with a ‘snap’, turning on his heel to face her.

“What?”

His narrow shoulders were hunched, his eyes wide. Daisy almost smiled. 

“I haven’t seen you around before.” She put her book down, jamming her thumb between the pages to keep her place. “Are you new?”

David couldn’t seem to keep still. Something about the girl’s gaze made him feel weak at the knees, though whether it was because his heart was still pounding from when she surprised him, or because of her lovely legs, and the denim shorts that ended halfway down her thighs, he didn’t know.

His fingers curled at his sides like he was plucking a guitar, his foot just begging to tap anxiously against the laminate floor. He tried to think of something clever to say but drew a blank, so he offered her a crooked smile instead. 

“It’s my first day on the team.”

He placed the bottle of water he’d taken from the fridge down on the counter. Immediately, condensation slipped down the sides and began to pool on the stainless steel, dangerously close to where Daisy was sitting. She scowled, shifting down the counter a little, and David winced, wishing he could take it back.

Behind her, he could see a man moving around in the kitchen, humming along to the radio as he knocked about pots and pans. He hadn’t noticed him either.

David looked back at the girl when she held out her hand, asking for the dollar he owed her.

“The Diamondbacks?”

When David nodded, she looked him up and down with thinly-veiled scepticism. He seemed energetic and looked fit, but he was small and, more importantly, much quieter than the rowdy boys who tumbled into the store every Saturday morning. She wouldn’t be surprised if this was his first and last day. 

Daisy crumpled up the money he lay in her hand and slipped it into her back pocket with a guileful smile.

“Good luck with that.”

Stunned, David tried to think of something clever to say. She was still watching him, brushing her thumb back and forth along the spine of her book, but there was a glint in her pretty eyes. She was just teasing him.

That made his shoulders sink, and he began to relax again. But she was so beautiful and still gazing at him, and David had to concentrate on making sure his hand didn’t shake as he took his bottle of water. 

“Thanks.”

He could feel his face starting to burn and wanted to get out of there fast. Even the testosterone soaked dugout seemed less intimidating now than spending another minute alone with this girl.

Just as he reached the door and thought he was safe, she called,

“Nice wallet.”

David had never had such trouble maintaining eye contact in his life. He gave a nervous laugh and subconsciously flattened his hand against the pocket where he’d just slipped his Nintendo wallet.

It had been given to him by a friend on his fourteenth birthday, and he was too emotionally attached to it to even consider exchanging it for something more suitable for a twenty-two year old. 

“Ha! Uh, thanks!” 

Much to his own disappointment, his voice wavered. David gave the girl another crooked grin as he walked backwards out of the door, making everything worse for himself when he tripped over the step.

Daisy bit back a smile as he ducked his head into the store, waving at her wildly with one hand.

“I’m fine! I got it! I’m good!” 

When he was gone, she laughed softly, shaking her head.

“Idiot,” she murmured, then went back to her book.

* * *

Daisy was more than a little surprised to see the boy again the next Saturday. She would’ve bet her very meagre salary that the new kid would quit after day one. Charming as they were, she couldn’t imagine having to spend more than a few hours with the Diamondbacks, so she really wouldn’t blame him if he took one look at the boys and got right back in his car.

But then, there he was, still all in one piece. That alone was something of a miracle. They were hardly the Yankees, sometimes even ‘team’ seemed a stretch, but their coach worked them hard, and he was only a little thing.

The boy seemed much more relaxed today. First day jitters gone, he strolled into the store, shoulders back, chin high. He was smiling, a big, dumb, disarming smile that lit up his face and almost had her smiling too.

To distract herself, Daisy looked down at the game of checkers laid out before her. She finished her book last week and couldn’t bring herself to get into anything new yet, so she’d grabbed the old travel set from the store cupboard where it had been gathering dust. 

She moved a red piece diagonally with the tip of her finger, watching the boy out of the corner of her eye. He was still smiling to himself as he perused the snacks. If he’d noticed her, she hadn’t seen it, and he didn’t make any attempt to grab her attention. Perhaps he was giving her space. Perhaps she made him nervous. 

Either way, Daisy couldn’t help wishing he would come over and break her concentration a little further. Fascinating as it was playing against herself, she’d welcome the distraction.

David took off his new red cap, pushing his fingers into his hair to brush it back from his sticky forehead. It was unbelievably hot out, he was already starting to sweat through his temporary uniform and he hadn’t even stepped onto the field yet. Thankfully, the _Snack Shack_ was nice and cool, but the circulating air pressed his jersey against his damp back, making him shiver. 

After his successful first day with the team, David hadn’t felt nearly so frantic that morning, and even remembered to grab his water bottle before he left the house. But, swings and roundabouts, he missed breakfast, so he was looking for a snack to keep him going till lunch. 

Chocolate bar selected, David hovered for a moment by the shelves, trying to decide if he should approach the counter, or risk interrupting the girl’s game. 

The same man he saw last week was rattling around in the kitchen again. When he asked the other boys about the _Shack_ , David tactfully avoided mentioning the girl, but they told him that the chef’s name was Gino, and that he wasn’t nearly as frightening as he’d have you believe.

When David finally got a glimpse of his face, he found Gino to be stern, his eyebrows drawn together crossly as he prepped the fryers. 

He decided to risk interrupting the girl’s concentration. As intimidating as she was, David would much rather be stared down by her pretty eyes than Gino’s.

She looked up the moment he approached the table. David immediately went pink. She was even lovelier than he remembered, and the nerves he thought he’d gotten over all came rushing back. Perhaps he should have just taken his chances with Gino.

Brief as their time was together, he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about the girl all week, her hazel eyes, her pretty freckles, her dark messy hair. David’s mind kept drifting to her cheeky smile while he was running drills, and the way her fingers toyed with her book while he was supposed to be fielding.

This girl made him nervous beyond belief, but she also intrigued him, and even though he’d only spent a few magical minutes in her company, David felt drawn back to the store the moment it came into sight. 

He’d hoped he’d be a lot cooler the next time they spoke, a lot more articulate and a little less ridiculous. No such luck, it seemed.

She gave him that clever smile, her eyes bright, like she was already ten paces ahead of him, and she hadn’t even spoken yet. As David feared, she stopped her game but instead of looking annoyed, she seemed genuinely pleased by the distraction.

“So you survived your first day?” 

She sat back in her seat, angling her body towards him. David watched her toy with one of the red checkers between her fingers and had to swallow hard before he spoke.

“Ha, well,” He waved one hand about airily, his voice rising higher than he would’ve liked. “It wasn’t too hard.”

Still smiling, the girl held out her hand. David hesitated, his eyes dropping to the table before he regretfully pulled out his wallet.

Daisy grinned while he fished out the 75 cents he owed her for the chocolate. He already looked embarrassed enough so she decided not to tease him about his wallet again.

“Oh, so you’re a natural, then?”

“Well, you know, it’s just throw the ball, catch the ball, try not to get hit by the ball...”

“Wow, lots of balls.”

David laughed awkwardly. He couldn’t think of anything to say, so he offered her an embarrassingly feeble ‘yeah’.

While he bashfully glanced down at the table again, Daisy took the opportunity to get a proper look at him. 

He was cute, handsome even, and a lot more gentle than the other boys who came crashing into the store. His dark brown eyes were soft and sweet, his long eyelashes brushing his cheeks. As she plucked the coins from the centre of his palm, she noticed that his fingers were long and nimble, and though he seemed slim at first glances, she could see his slightly-too-big shirt hid wiry muscle. 

Her game completely forgotten now, Daisy found herself wanting to ask him more about his first training session, maybe even get his name. He had a nice voice, sweet and soft, and when he wasn’t bashfully looking down at the table, his gaze made her heart flutter.

That was new, none of the other boys had ever made her feel like that, and she’d known some of them for years. A few had even been playing at this field long before she started working at the _Shack_.

Daisy had only met this boy twice, but for some reason, she hung on his every word, as he appeared to hang on hers. Maybe the feeling was mutual. Maybe she could invite him to sit with her for a while, seeing as practice didn’t start for another few minutes.

But then movement over his shoulder caught her attention, and another voice spoke before she could.

“Why are you saying ‘balls’ so much?”

David jumped, spinning around to see that Gino had left the kitchen and was standing behind the counter. 

He was tall, broad, bald, and his sharp eyes cut right through him. He was wiping his hands on a dishtowel, and although the action wasn’t inherently threatening, David couldn’t help imagining it wrapped tight around his neck. 

“This ain’t a library, kid. You buying?”

Daisy sighed, knowing her fun for the day was over.

“He already paid.”

“Then what’re you waiting around for? A receipt?”

His voice was rough and deep. He threw the dishtowel over his shoulder and crossed tree trunk-sized arms over his barrel of a chest. 

David stammered through a response until the girl came to his rescue.

“It’s okay, Dad, I got this.”

 _Dad_?

David glanced between the girl and the mountain of a man. There was no resemblance, though perhaps she had the same glint in her eyes, the one that made his knees weak, but in a _very different way._

With an indignant huff and one last reproachful glance in David’s direction, Gino turned and went back into the kitchen.

When David turned back to face the girl, he wasn’t at all surprised by the small but overtly mischievous smile on her face. He gave a shy, little laugh, scratching the back of his neck.

“He seems nice.” 

Daisy shrugged.

“He doesn’t like boys who play baseball.”

“But he works at a baseball field?”

“And he is _painfully_ aware of that.”

David watched as she put down the red checker and slid it across the board. Feeling brave, he pushed a black piece with the tip of his finger until it jumped over hers. With a smile, he placed it by the edge of the board with the other checkers she’d already collected.

Daisy pretended to be annoyed that he’d captured one of her pieces, but her façade broke when the boy laughed. It actually made her pause. She watched, spellbound, as his big smile stretched across his face again. It really was a lovely smile.

Then, all too soon, David noticed the clock on the wall and realised he was out of time.

“Nice seeing you again,” he said, then waved goodbye with the hand holding his chocolate bar.

Daisy watched him go, trying not to let her disappointment show.

“You too, Eight.”

* * *

The next time he saw Daisy, she was behind the counter, for once. David had come to assume that either the _Snack Shack_ wasn’t doing too well, or she did everything she could to avoid working. It seemed he’d just been coming in at the wrong time.

Annoyingly, he was late that morning, so he didn’t get the chance to stop by and see how she would tease him today. David knew it was stupid, but he missed her. He kept glancing towards the store, hoping to catch a glimpse of her, but Daisy never came near the door. It was hard enough waiting a whole week to see her again, but anticipation made their incredibly dull game drag on even longer.

Finally, the idea of an early lunch was tossed around, and David immediately volunteered to run up to the _Shack_. He was out of the dugout before anyone could question his enthusiasm.

As soon as he stepped into the store, the cool air soothed his burning skin. David let out a soft sigh, closing his eyes. How could a rickety little concession stand on the edge of a baseball field make him feel so safe?

He took off his cap, running his fingers through his damp hair, hoping it would make him look a little more presentable. He knew Daisy was probably used to horrible sweaty boys making a nuisance of themselves, but he hoped to make a much better impression.

Visiting later in the day meant that it wasn’t just the two of them in the store. David smiled when he saw Daisy scooping ice cream for a gaggle of little girls being herded around by one very tired looking dad.

He stood back, waiting patiently for his turn. It’s not like he had anywhere to be. Their game against the Tigers, another team desperately low in the league, was halfway over. Not that David particularly cared, he was benched the minute he stepped into the dugout. 

He didn’t mind, not really. It was blisteringly hot today, he’d much rather be in the shade making fun of the others with Palacco. And anyway, it meant he got to see her again.

As the last little girl placed her order, Daisy happened to look up and met his gaze. She looked surprised to see him. To David’s delight, she gave him a sweet, quick smile before she returned her attention to her work. 

When the little girls finally cleared out, David stepped up to the counter, hoping to be a lot more charming today. Talking with this girl was like playing chess, although he supposed checkers would be more fitting. She always seemed to be two moves ahead of him, but David had been practicing conversation starters all week. She wasn’t going to talk circles around him today.

But then she looked up and beamed at him, and David knew he was done for. 

“Still here!”

 _Damn_. He should’ve known she’d talk first. Now he was out of step and his carefully constructed confidence had faded. 

“Still here,” David said weakly, trying to match her enthusiasm and failing.

Daisy laughed softly. It made David’s whole body relax, like he was lying on his back in the sun, soaking up its warmth.

She was so ridiculously pretty, he could hardly think, but then she gave him a flash of that smile, and suddenly the words were tumbling out of his mouth before he could stop them.

“I’m David, by the way,” he said. “Just in case you were… Wondering…”

She gave him a funny look and David started to panic.

“Last week, you called me ‘Eight’ and so I thought I should- That’s my name. David is. That’s my name. Just in case you wanted to know.” 

His face was unbearably hot but not because of the summer heat. What a _moron_. Every fibre of David’s body told him to turn and walk right back out that door, but something else, something gentler, told him to stay, that it was alright. Maybe it was because, in spite of everything, she was still smiling at him.

“And you’re Daisy, right?” he asked quietly.

Surprised, she blinked at him, then her smile returned. 

“That’s me.”

It was Palacco who gave away her name. David had heard some of the boys talking about going up to the _Snack Shack_ and couldn’t resist asking after the beautiful girl who worked there. That was last week, and David hadn’t been able to stop thinking about the name, or the girl, since.

“That’s a really pretty name,” he said, feeling pleased when he saw that her cheeks were a little pink. “Daisy?”

“Di Angelo.”

He held out his hand, panicked, changed his mind, and waved instead. 

“David Stein.” 

“Nice to meet you officially.”

Daisy grabbed a cloth and began to wipe down the counter, an excuse to look away for a moment, but she couldn’t keep the smile from stretching across her face. 

She’d be lying if she said she hadn’t been thinking about David all week too. He was just such an _idiot_ , and for some reason it drove her crazy. 

That morning, a couple of D-Back boys came in before practice started, and her heart sank when she saw that he wasn’t with them. Her dad had even asked why she looked so mopey but she just brushed him off and spun him some lie about being bored.

But now he was here, and he was just as dumb as she remembered, and twice as cute.

Daisy tried to recover some of her flagging confidence, but then David gave her that sweet, crooked grin that had been stuck in her head like a golden oldie on the radio, and she knew it was pointless.

“You always talk this much?”

David shrugged.

“When I’m nervous.”

“Why are you nervous, David Stein?”

It was the first time she’d said his name. He hadn’t expected it to make his knees quite so weak. David had never really put much thought into it but suddenly, wrapped up in her voice, his name sounded like the most wonderful sound in the world, as soft and sweet as honey pie. 

“I’m scared your dad’s gonna yell at me again,” he admitted, glancing over her shoulder.

He could see Gino moving around in the kitchen. He must not have noticed him yet, but David knew that wouldn’t last long. Soon his luck would run out and Gino would come grumbling out of the kitchen, telling him to get lost, and their time together would be over again for another week. 

Daisy snorted, chucking the cloth onto the metal sideboard behind her.

“He’s a softie, he just gets antsy when boys come in.”

David thought about the other guys on his team and nodded. 

“That’s fair.” 

He blushed when she laughed again. David was practically bursting at the seams, he was so pleased. He couldn’t believe how well this was going.

He glanced behind him at the door, making sure they weren’t going to be disturbed any time soon. When he knew the coast was clear, he tried to ask about her, but again, Daisy beat him to it. 

“How’s the game going?”

David winced. _Icarus_. 

He’d wondered how long it would be before she found out that, not only was he terrible at baseball, but also that he’d barely been able to touch the batter’s plate since he joined the team.

“Oh, it’s-” His voice cracked and she looked up. “You know, it’s... Happening.”

Daisy frowned but luckily, they were interrupted before she could ask what he meant. 

“What the bloody hell is taking you so long?” 

Palacco. He stood in the doorway with his hands on his hips. He was silhouetted against the bright sunlight pouring in from outside, but David could still make out his annoyed scowl. 

His first friend and main source of amusement during games, Palacco had taken David under his wing fairly quickly. They just got on. Their temperaments matched, and they both preferred commentating on the countless fights, rather than getting involved. 

Palacco swaggered across the store and slumped over the counter, resting his weary head against the cool metal. He barely made it to the field today; he felt like last night’s party was still raging in his brain.

“Alright, love?” he asked, his voice muffled against the counter.

Daisy just sighed, reaching for the cleaning cloth again. 

“Hey, Ryan.”

She was more than used to the boys making themselves at home in her family’s store, Palacco especially. His over-familiarity was annoying at first, but now she knew he wasn’t trying to flirt with her, she just let him get on with it.

Palacco groaned and turned his head back to look at David, not bothering to lift himself away from the counter. 

“I’m absolutely starving, and you’re standing around flirting?”

David felt all the colour drain from his face. He glanced at Daisy before he could stop himself and found her watching him with a small smile. 

“I wasn’t flirting!”

Palacco didn’t seem convinced, but then Daisy snorted.

“He _definitely_ wasn’t.”

Palacco pulled a face, disappointed, and David felt panic beginning to take over him all over again.

“I mean, I could,” he said quickly, and now Daisy was staring at him too. “If you wa…” 

He trailed off, defeated. Sometimes, David wondered why he even bothered opening his mouth. 

Palacco sighed, already bored, and turned his back on David, but Daisy held his gaze, just for that one moment longer, and he knew he hadn’t messed things up just yet.

“Two hot dogs. Ta, love.” 

Palacco’s voice was muffled as he rested his head against the counter Daisy had just wiped clean. She shot David another quick smile then went to get Palacco his order. 

While she served up the two hot dogs, she asked,

“So, what position do you play?”

David beamed when he realised she was talking to him. Taller, stronger, arguably more handsome, _British_ Palacco was standing between them, but Daisy wanted to talk to him. Ryan was also sweating and kept whining about his headache, but even so, David couldn’t help being a little bit pleased. He just wished the question hadn’t been about the game.

“In, uh, in baseball?” 

Daisy laughed, turning away to grab Palacco the ketchup and mustard.

“Yeah, space cadet. Baseball.”

David glanced at Palacco, still bent double over the counter.

He began to wonder if he’d rat him out if he lied, but David didn’t have to think about it for very long. Palacco would undoubtedly step in the minute he tried to make up some story about being the next Babe Ruth. And worse, not out of spite, not to be mean, but just for his own amusement. 

So rather than scrambling for a lie that would eventually fall through, David danced around the answer with two left feet. 

“Oh, I’m, uh… You know, I can go- You can put me anywhere.”

Palacco scoffed, lifting his head when Daisy tapped his shoulder, letting him know his food was ready.

“Oh, yeah, David’s a real jack-of-all-trades.”

With a feeble smile, David nodded. 

“That’s me, I’ll do whatever you want.”

Daisy bit back a laugh and raised her eyebrows.

“Promise?”

She met David’s gaze. Her slight smile was a challenge, that glint in her eye a dare. David wished he had the courage to rise to both of them, but all he managed was a stupid grin, and a blush that spread all the way down his neck and disappeared under his shirt. 

Daisy was a little disappointed that he didn’t play along, but at least she got to see that dorky grin again, the one that took up his whole face, a little lopsided and so, so gorgeous. 

She wondered if he would have teased her back if Palacco wasn’t here. Daisy glanced down and saw that Ryan was smiling up at her, but she just ignored him.

“Two hot dogs. That’s four bucks.”

She nudged his shoulder for the money and Palacco, slowly but surely, pulled out his wallet, groaning dramatically all the way. It was black, plain. Very different to David’s. 

Daisy risked glancing at him and saw that David was looking at the wallet too. She felt a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth, but then he met her gaze. They both realised at the same time that they were thinking the same thing, and soon they were grinning at each other. It was nice, like they shared an inside joke.

Daisy jumped when Palacco waved the money in front of her face. She wearily pulled her gaze away from David. If he didn’t have such a bad hangover, she knew Palacco would be beaming at her, but instead he just groaned and pressed the money into her hand. 

With a sigh, Daisy asked,

“You want anything, Eight?” When David shook his head, she smiled. “Then you better skedaddle, my dad’ll be out here soon.”

Palacco groaned again as he pulled himself away from the counter. He still looked like he was having trouble keeping his eyes open, but he seemed a lot happier now that he had a hot dog in each hand.

“My cue to leave,” He took a huge bite of his lunch. “Respectfully, that man scares the shit out of me.” 

Daisy wrinkled her nose as he spoke through his mouthful but watched him go with a strange fondness. These boys were idiots, but at least they were entertaining. 

Palacco slapped his hand down on David’s shoulder, already halfway to the door.

“Come on, Dave.”

David couldn't hide his disappointment if he tried. This had not gone to plan at _all_. He’d hoped to spend the rest of the break in the _Shack_ , or as long as he could with Gino around. He didn’t even know what he wanted to say, he just knew he could spend hours with Daisy and not get bored. 

He wanted to know her better, wanted her to want to know him, and maybe, if he was really lucky, he could make her smile again. But Palacco was calling him, and Gino was starting to peer through the kitchen window, his eyes steely and sharp.

David sighed and waved goodbye.

“See you around.”

Daisy watched him go, smiling to herself. She could feel her dad’s eyes on the back of her head, but she didn’t care. 

She watched the boy hop down the front step and run after his friend, and laughed softly, blushing even though she was alone.

“Bye, David.”

* * *

“One at a time!”

Gino waved one plate-sized hand at the boys swarming his store, trying to get them into some semblance of a line. Dirt-streaked and exhausted, the D-Backs had just finished practice, but that didn’t mean they were any less boisterous. 

It was another boiling hot day, so they’d all decided to grab an ice cream together. The whole team in one little store. 

Gino went bright red when he saw them ambling up to the _Shack._ A big purple vein had appeared on his forehead the moment they came in, and it was still throbbing now as they stepped up to the counter to place their orders.

When the D-Backs came tumbling into the shop, they were always loud, and usually arguing about something. Today was no different. Palacco and Barone were bickering like old women, Murray and Maz were laughing between themselves, and Zapata was listening to Tree complain about wanting a girlfriend with endearing sympathy. 

Daisy didn’t know the rest of the boys’ names, and those she did, she’d learned against her will. Well, not all of them. She forced down her smile. 

She supposed most of them were alright, but they were loud, and messy, and they were boys, incurably so. And worse, they annoyed her dad, and every time they came in, she had to listen to him muttering under his breath for the rest of the day.

One of the shorter boys, number twenty-four, collected his ice cream order, forgetting to say ‘thank you’ because he was talking a mile a minute to number forty-two, who Daisy knew was the coach. 

He looked annoyed to have the smaller boy buzzing around him like a fly but still managed to grumble a thanks to Gino as he passed over his ice cream. 

Daisy heard her dad grumble under his breath as they left the _Shack_.

“Animals.”

She laughed softly and shook her head. Her dad really was the sweetest man in the world, so Daisy found it extremely amusing that a gaggle of idiot boys made him so unbelievably angry without even trying.

They stood side-by-side behind the ice cream counter. As usual, Daisy took their orders, while her father served them up, handing the ice creams over quickly to get the boys out of his store as fast as was humanly possible.

The next D-Back stepped up to place his order. Number twenty-nine. He was handsome, freckly, one of the sweet, if annoying, boys. Daisy didn’t know his name either, but he was always pretty friendly. Maybe too friendly. 

_“I know a girl from a lonely street, cold as ice cream but still as sweet. Dry your eyes, Sunday girl!”_

As he sang, he rested his elbows against the counter and propped up his chin, gazing up at Daisy with big brown eyes. 

She scoffed, taking the brim of his cap and yanking it down over his eyes. 

“That’s ‘Sunday’ with an ‘-ay’, you idiot.” 

Daisy grabbed the two dollar bills right out of his hand, stuffing them in the front of her apron. Number twenty-nine just beamed at her from under his cap, then asked for an ice cream with chocolate sprinkles.

She sent him on his way, preparing to face the last few boys. Barone and Palacco. But they weren’t alone. 

Daisy couldn't have predicted the way her heart stumbled when she saw that David was with them, right at the back. She hadn’t spotted him over the taller boys’ shoulders but now they’d moved forward, he caught sight of her and grinned from ear to ear. She could feel her face heating up and knew she was blushing.

“Hi, David.”

His smile grew even bigger somehow. David took off his cap, like a gentleman greeting a lady. 

“Hey.”

Daisy watched him twist it between his hands, getting lost in thoughts of his lovely fingers, but then Barone slid into focus and her scowl returned. 

“Hey, baby, you wanna _Shack_ up with me?”

“Very original,” Daisy said drily. “Don’t you have a girlfriend, Arthur?”

“Sometimes.”

“I’ll be sure to mention that to her the next time she comes in.”

Barone just laughed as he peered over the counter to choose his ice cream.

Beside her, Gino grumbled and waved at the remaining boys. There were only a few of them left now and he was eager to send them packing. 

“Stop tormenting boys,” he said. “Take their money instead.”

With a sigh, Daisy took Palacco’s order, then finally, turned to David. He was still standing a little way back, even though Barone and Palacco had moved down the line. She watched as his dark eyes switched between the rows and rows of ice cream, until she could feel her dad watching her and asked,

“You want anything, Davy?”

David blinked, then slowly began to smile. He could get used to that. _Davy_. Oh, yes. He could _definitely_ get used to that. 

“No, thanks,” he said quietly, glancing at the other boys.

Daisy frowned. She was sure she’d seen him looking at the ice cream. 

“Sure?” 

David could feel his face getting hot. When the boys had all started drifting in the direction of the store, he was so excited, he could hardly walk in a straight line. All his practiced coolness had slipped away the moment he saw Daisy again. 

In his defense, her black hair was pulled back today, and he hadn’t been expecting it. And her freckles were pretty. And her waist was cinched in by her apron- 

David took a breath. _Okay, easy._

But perhaps the most intoxicating thing of all was that her scowl had melted away the moment she saw him. Out of all those boys, he was the only one Daisy had smiled at. But then that smile turned wicked, as it so often did, and she asked, 

“Sweet enough, huh?” 

Struck dumb, David only gawped, his mouth hanging open. He could feel Barone and Palacco staring at him, but all he could do was watch Daisy’s smile dissolve into a pretty laugh that made her shoulders shake. It was the most animated he’d seen her. She seemed relaxed, happy, and for him and only him. 

David _did_ want an ice cream, but Daisy’s sweet smile had left him feeling a little dizzy. All he could do was shake his head, mumble ‘thank you’, then turn and hurry out of the store as fast as his legs could carry him. 

Daisy pouted, disappointed. When she got him alone, David was cheeky and more than happy to be gently bullied. Maybe he just got shy in front of his friends. At least she got to see him in those wonderful tight pants again. _Hate to see him leave, love to watch him go._

Gino coughed. 

She looked up at her dad. Daisy wasn’t sure if he looked more angry or disappointed. 

“What?”

Outside, David was still trying to stop the world spinning as he and his friends headed back down towards the field. Barone and Palacco orbited him, taking turns slapping his back and shoving him, unable to contain their excitement.

“That was _embarrassing_ , man,” Barone groaned, shaking his head.

He’d barely recovered from what had just happened, so it took David a second to realise he was talking to him. 

“What was?”

“She was flirting with you!”

“What?” David scoffed. “No, she wasn’t.”

“I almost had to leave,” Palacco muttered, his words muffled through a mouthful of ice cream. 

Barone laughed, tripping David on purpose as he sang, 

“Bow-chicka- _wow-wow_.”

“I don’t- That’s not-” 

“ _And_ she was staring at your arse.”

Barone reached around and tried to slap him, laughing when David tripped over his own feet to get out of the way and fell right into Palacco. 

David choked on his words as he tried to find some kind of other explanation, but he came up empty-handed. Images of Daisy’s bright smile flashed through his mind, the way she tucked her hair behind her ear, and the glint she got in her eyes just before she was about to make fun of him. It made David’s heart pound a little harder.

“She was _flirting_ with you, bro!” 

David pulled a face, unconvinced.

“She was just being friendly.”

“I’ve been trying to get her number forever, man.”

Barone ate his ice cream cone in two bites, then aimed his napkin at the trash can they were about to pass. He missed, cursed, and begrudgingly went to collect it.

“She barely talks to me. I’m telling you, _Snack Shack_ girl likes you.”

David laughed, ready to brush them off again, but then he thought about what Daisy said, and the way she always seemed to have eyes for him and only him. 

He stopped dead in his tracks, his jaw slack. David squinted up at the bright blue sky, then down at the grass beneath his feet, and finally at his friend’s backs as they left him behind. At last, he beamed. 

“You really think so?”

* * *

Daisy’s hands stung as she fell into a seat at one of the tables. She’d been cleaning all morning, and the wooden mop handle had rubbed her palms raw. She didn’t know how it happened, she cleaned every day but there was still always more to do. Daisy almost wanted to ask the boys to take off their shoes before they came in, but she didn’t think they’d go for that. 

She made sure that the mop rested safely against the edge of the table, then sat back in her chair with a groan. Daisy arched her back until her spine popped in several places, then bent forward again, hoping to ease her aching muscles. She just wanted a cold bath and an even colder drink, but she still had hours left of her shift. 

With a sigh, she stretched her arms up above her head, then swung them back behind her, interlocking her fingers and holding the position until the tightness between her shoulders ebbed.

“Oh!”

Daisy opened her eyes and saw David standing in the doorway. 

“Hey,” he said, and there was that lovely, dorky smile. 

He was blushing, and she realised that the way she was stretching had pushed her chest forward. He stubbornly met her eyes, but she still caught the way his gaze quickly dropped to where her breasts rose over the low neckline of her shirt with each breath. Her face hot, Daisy dropped her arms and crossed them on the table. 

David hovered in the doorway for a moment, still a little dazed. When he caught his breath again, he moved to step inside, but Daisy flung out her hand. 

“Watch the floor! I just mopped.” 

David’s foot hung in mid-air, then he stepped back, laughing softly. 

Daisy’s heart sank. She’d been looking forward to seeing him all day, and he chose _now_ to make an appearance? She half expected him to turn and walk away, but instead, David dug into his pocket.

“You want some candy?”

Daisy raised her eyebrows.

“David, I work in a concession stand.” She paused, thought it through, then held out her hand. “Yeah, okay, come on.”

Being careful not to tread on her nice clean floor, David leaned in as far as he could and chucked the candy across the room. 

In a move that would impress any scout, Daisy caught it in one hand and immediately unwrapped it. She found she’d never seen this kind of candy before, and briefly wondered where he’d got it from as she popped one into her mouth. It tasted floral, strange, but not bad. 

David glanced towards the kitchen and was surprised to find it empty.

“Where’s your dad?”

“Gone to meet a supplier, we’re out of…” Daisy realised she hadn’t been paying as much attention as she should have. “Something. He’ll be back soon. You just carry candy around in your pocket like an old lady?” 

“You wanna go for a walk?”

Daisy blinked.

“What?”

David took a careful step closer where he could see that the floor had already dried. He must be the only guy on the team with clean shoes. He’d still yet to even glimpse the batter’s box, so he thought he was safe.

“I just thought, it’s kinda hot in here, and it’s a nice day, and I’ve got all this candy.”

He patted his pocket. They were one short today, so Palacco had gone up to bat. Before he left him alone in the dugout, he pressed the sweets he’d been eating into David’s hand. He didn’t think Palacco would miss them, and David didn’t think the rest of the team would miss him. 

Daisy wanted to say ‘yes’. She wanted to say ‘yes’ more than anything. So far, her and David hadn’t been able to talk properly once, and she was desperate to know him better. But their timing, as always, was terrible. 

She twisted her mouth apologetically.

“I have to look after the store.”

“Twenty minutes,” David pressed his palms together. “You can close for twenty minutes. Your dad won’t even realise you’re gone.”

“I can’t.” Daisy gave him a sad smile. “Sorry.”

Defeated, David nodded. It had taken all day to work up the courage to come up here, and only after considerable teasing from Palacco. He’d rehearsed his offer over and over again, hoping to come off suave, cool, sophisticated. Of course, it hadn’t unfolded like that at all. He would try again next week.

He turned to go, giving Daisy one last weak smile. 

But she didn’t want him to leave. She didn’t know if it was just because she was bored, or because it would be funny to see the look on her dad’s face if he caught them, or if it was because she liked David, liked him more than she ever expected too, but Daisy wanted him to stay, stay with her, just for a little while longer. 

“But…” 

He stopped. Daisy’s heart began to thud as he slowly turned around. She pressed the bottom of her foot against the chair across from her and pushed it out from under the table. 

“There’s no reason why we can’t hang out here.” 

David grinned.

Twenty minutes later, he was leaning back in his chair so that it rested against the table behind him, reclined so leisurely, you’d think he owned the place.

Across from him, Daisy had her feet up on the chair beside hers. 

“Texting or talking?” she asked.

“Talking.” David tilted his head back to catch the sweet she threw his way. “Favourite day of the week?”

“Thursday.” 

“Why?”

“You’re not allowed to ask why!”

“Sorry, sorry.”

They laughed as Daisy unwrapped another packet of the little purple candies.

It was David who suggested the game, a way to get to know each other better and to pass the time. They took turns asking quick-fire questions, and every time someone answered, the other threw a sweet for them to catch in their mouths. So far, they hadn’t missed yet, but David’s aim was terrible. Daisy had almost fallen out of her seat three times.

“What do your parents call you?” she asked, adding more Parma Violets to the pile.

“Like, as a nickname?” When she nodded, David looked away. “My dad just calls me Dave. But my mom-”

His hesitation made Daisy smile. 

“Go on,” she pressed, holding up a piece of candy.

His cheeks pink, David sighed. 

“Matok. Means ‘sweetie’.” He rolled his eyes at her enormous grin. “Shut up.” 

“It’s cute!”

“Scale of one to ten, how good of a driver are you?”

“Eleven.”

“You don’t drive, do you.”

“I just haven’t got round to it!” Daisy leaned back to catch the candy he threw at her. “How tall are you?”

“Don’t worry about it. Cake or pie?”

David grinned when he made Daisy laugh.

“Pie,” she said, starting to stack the little candies into piles. “Favourite ice cream flavour?”

“I’ll eat whatever you give me.” 

Daisy raised her eyebrows but didn’t say anything. It made David’s heart flip, but he was glad she’d caught onto his joke.

“Lucky number?”

“Eight,” She looked up from her work, just for a second, but the smile she flashed him made David’s cheeks burn. “ _The Godfather_ or _Star Wars_?”

“ _Star Wars_. Do you believe in love at first sight?” 

Daisy accidentally knocked over one of the little piles she’d been working on. She blinked up at him, surprised, and David wished the ground would just open up and swallow him.

“Sorry, that-” He lowered his hand, nervously tapping the candy against the table. “I’ll pick another one.”

Daisy watched him fumble for a new question with a strange kind of fondness. He’d been doing so well. Once he sat down, he seemed to relax, and she’d been enjoying getting to know him. When he was at ease, David was funny, and sweet, and snarky in a way that made her heart pound. Daisy couldn’t remember the last boy who’d interested her this much.

But he’d tripped over himself, perhaps got too cocky, and David was all nervous again. Not that she minded, it was fun to watch him stammer, so eager to please. Daisy couldn’t help wondering what a mess he’d be if she leaned over the table and kissed his cheek like she ached to do.

Instead, she asked,

“Aren’t you worried about missing your turn?”

It was David’s turn to blink, so caught up in his own thoughts that her question surprised him.

“What?”

Daisy nodded to the door, and the field that lay beyond.

“What if they call your name?”

“Oh, it’s fine.”

David brought his chair forward so that all four legs rested against the floor. He fiddled with one of the sweets, not even glancing back at the field. 

Daisy watched his expression shift. His big grin was gone. Instead, his lips were pressed together, and his forehead was creased by a frown. She could feel the vibrations of his foot tapping a steady rhythm against the floor. Curious, she tilted her head to one side.

“I don’t ever see you bat.” Daisy frowned when the corner of David’s mouth twitched but he didn't say anything. “I watch you guys play whenever the store is empty but I never see you out there. You hurt or something?”

“Uh… No, not…” David could feel embarrassment creeping up his spine, making his face feel hot. He’d give anything to go one day without blushing in this damn store. “They just don’t ever really need me, you know.” 

He risked looking up at Daisy, but she was smiling that smile, the one David knew meant he wasn’t getting away with it.

“I’m not very good at baseball,” he admitted at last, so humiliated that he barely mumbled the words.

Slowly, Daisy’s smile grew a little more genuine. 

“Then why do you play?”

David huffed a little laugh. He glanced at his Diamondbacks cap, sat on the table beside him. It was silly, but there was just something about the game. The way his skin ached from sitting in the sun all day, the red dust he found in his shoes despite never leaving the dugout, the excitement he felt whenever one of the boys texted him, inviting him to hang out. He didn’t have to play to love it, love all of it, even if the sport didn’t love him back. 

“It’s baseball,” he said quietly.

If David had been brave enough to meet her gaze, he’d have seen her eyes shining. Daisy wished she could explain it, the way her heart swelled in her chest with every new little thing she learned about him. He was just so painfully endearing, she couldn’t believe he was real. She knew David was self-conscious about it, but the fact that he turned up, every week, despite not ever playing, it only made her care about him more.

Daisy twisted round so that her feet were on the floor. Her knee brushed his under the table. It made David look up, and now even the tips of his ears were pink. 

“I’ll tell you a secret,” She leaned forward over the table and spoke in a hushed voice. “I don’t even like ice cream.”

David laughed.

“What?”

“God’s honest truth. It’s too cold, I don’t like it. Hurts my teeth.”

“That’s ridiculous.”

“So is joining a baseball team when you can’t play.”

He huffed, leaning over the table too, so now they met halfway.

“I can play, just not _well_.”

Daisy grinned.

“Well, I look forward to the day I see you step up to the plate.”

“Will you cheer me on?”

“I’ll even paint a little ‘8’ on my face.”

She reached up and traced the shape on her cheek with the tip of her finger. David followed the pattern, his dark eyes so soft and lovely in the sunshine.

“I’d like that,” he murmured.

He met her gaze. They were close, closer than they’d ever been before, closer than either of them had realised. To David’s surprise, Daisy seemed just as distracted as he was. He watched, entranced, as the corner of her mouth tugged up into a smile.

A car door slammed somewhere out back, making them both jump. Gino was back. As if their luck couldn't get any worse, a couple came into the store, making a beeline for the ice cream counter.

With a sigh, Daisy sat back in her chair.

“I have to go,” she said, trying not to show just how disappointed she was. She scooped up the last of the sweets and popped them into her mouth. “It was fun hanging out with you.”

“Yeah, yeah, you too. I like being with you.” 

It slipped out before he could stop himself. David almost passed out, he was so embarrassed, but Daisy just laughed. 

As she stood up, she pointed at the little pile of candy left on the table.

“Don’t you want them?” 

He shook his head.

“I stole them from Palacco. You can keep them.”

“Thanks, Davy.”

That name again. She said it so easily, as if they’d known each other for years. No one had ever called him that before. It, and the smile that went with it, made David’s heart somersault in his chest every time.

Daisy would give anything to stay just a little while longer. She couldn’t remember the last time she had this much fun at work. But the couple by the counter were growing agitated. She didn’t blame them, she wouldn’t want to be left waiting on a hot day like today, but she felt like yelling at them to give her more time, just one more minute alone with the cute boy with the pretty brown eyes, who’d brought her candy, and made her smile every Saturday without fail.

“Sorry,” Daisy sighed. “I really have to go.”

David shook his head, gathering himself to leave. Her dad would be back soon, and he couldn’t imagine anything worse than Gino finding out he was the reason Daisy was keeping paying customers waiting.

“It’s fine, go. Say ‘hi’ to your dad for me.”

Daisy laughed as she grabbed her apron from the back of her chair and slipped it on. She reached up and pulled her hair through the loop around her neck, shaking her head so that it settled nicely, while David stared, captivated. 

“Tell him yourself.”

Daisy could hear her dad moving things around in the storeroom. He’d be out here soon to check on her but she didn’t care, she’d rather take one last opportunity to tease David.

“I’m not brave enough for that.”

“Oh, I don’t know. Gotta be pretty brave to play with those idiots.”

“But I don’t play,” he reminded her. “I hang out in here with you.”

“You come every Saturday just to see me?” 

Daisy grinned when David blushed one last wonderful time. He didn’t deny it. She grabbed the candy he’d brought her and slipped it into her pocket, then squeezed his shoulder. 

“See you next week, Eight.”

Daisy went to serve the customers, leaving David standing by the table, too dazed to move. He could still feel her hand on his shoulder, the way her fingers had pressed into his skin, a tattoo he would keep forever. 

Palacco was back in the dugout when David returned. He didn’t even make it two steps onto the field before he was yelling at him from across the grass.

“What the bloody hell have you done with my sweets, you little bastard!”

The game was still very much in process. David had to mouth an apology to Ty as he skirted around the pitch and ducked into the relative safety of the dugout. 

Once he explained that he’d given his candy to the cute ice cream girl, David thought he might be a little happier, or at least, proud of him, but Palacco just scowled and grumbled for the rest of the day. 

David didn’t care. He could still feel Daisy’s hand on his shoulder, her soft laughter ringing in his ears.

* * *

There hadn’t been a day since they met where Daisy’s mind hadn’t wandered to David.

Sometimes it was just glimpses. She recalled the way their fingers brushed, or something funny he’d said. Sometimes, all she could think about were the little creases by his mouth when he smiled that big, broad, dorky smile of his, or the way he ran his hand through his dark, wavy hair.

Today was worse, though. Daisy hadn’t been able to stop daydreaming about him all day, how close they were as they both leaned over the table, the way his eyes dropped to her mouth. She wondered what it would be like to kiss him, what he’d do with his hands, what kind of soft noises she’d be able to pull from him as she pressed her tongue against his.

Her dad cleared his throat behind her, and Daisy jumped, her face hot. She was half afraid he’d been able to read her mind, or at least know which direction her thoughts had been drifting, but he just asked if she was ready to head outside.

They did this every morning. When there were no customers around and they’d finished all their work, Daisy and her dad would grab a chair each and sit out in the fresh morning air with a coffee, watching the boys train.

The Diamondbacks weren’t the only team to use the field, but they were certainly the most entertaining. Still, Daisy never used to pay that much attention before David joined the team. Now she had something to keep her interested. 

While Gino muttered about plays and tactics, Daisy kept her eyes on number eight. When he was fielding, David was usually put deep in the outfield where he couldn’t cause any trouble. He was so funny to watch, the way he scrambled for the ball whenever it came his way, or how he and whoever he was standing near would kid around, seemingly completely oblivious to the game going on around them.

Batting was a different story. When he finally stepped up to the plate, Daisy could barely watch. 

“That bat’s almost as big as he is,” Gino laughed.

Daisy just sipped her coffee and prayed he wouldn't get hurt.

Again, she found her mind wandering as she watched him prepare to bat. The _Snack Shack_ sat behind and just to the left of the plate, so she had a great view as David bent his knees. He tapped the bat against the insides of his shoes, then got ready to swing. 

David still didn’t have a proper uniform, just the red shirt that Ty had painted an ‘8’ on the back of, and pants that belonged to his older brother and didn’t fit right. Daisy didn’t think any amount of uniform could improve David’s swing. 

It was only practice, so she supposed Dells didn’t go nearly as hard on him as he could’ve done, but David still struck out with impressive speed. She heard her dad let out an ‘oof’, unimpressed, but she ignored him, and hoped David would come up to see her soon, now that he was out.

When David did finally come bounding into the store, Daisy wasn’t alone. She was sitting on the counter again, her nose in another book, while her dad restocked the ice cream. She beamed, so happy to see him that she forgot to remember her page number before she put down her book. 

Daisy just had time to reach down and tap her dad’s shoulder before David came in.

“Be nice,” she murmured, but he just grunted in response. 

David didn’t even get a chance to open his mouth. The moment he approached the counter, Gino sat up just to look him in the eyes and say,

“Your swing is terrible.”

Daisy reached down and slapped her book against the back of her dad’s head. 

“What? What?”

David sighed as he slipped onto the stool beside where Daisy was resting her feet.

“All I ever get from this store is grief.”

She laughed softly, and tilted back his cap so that she could see his face. 

“And yet, you keep coming back.”

David grinned.

“You’re worth it.” He waited until Gino walked into the kitchen before he asked, “Was he really watching?”

“He always watches.”

Daisy reached down the counter to one of the glass bowls that sat by the cash register. They were filled with candy and chocolate, five cents stuff for the little kids who came in, stuff her dad didn’t mind going missing. 

She unwrapped one of the chocolate eggs, crumpling up the wrapper and shoving it in the back pocket of her jeans. She split it in two, passing half to David, who beamed as he thanked her. 

“But I thought you said he hates baseball?” 

“He hates _boys_ who _play_ baseball. They mess up his store, make a lot of noise...” She popped open the plastic capsule that came with the chocolate to find her prize. “He watches you guys and writes down little notes so that the next time you come in, he’s got something to tease you about.” 

She grinned, pleased when she made David laugh. 

Inside the little capsule was a plastic ring. It was bright yellow, like faux gold, decorated with a crudely-shaped jewel she thought was supposed to be a diamond. 

“Here.”

She waved at David and he immediately held out his hand. She gently held his fingers, then dropped the ring in the centre of his palm. 

“For luck.”

David could barely breathe as she seemed to hesitate before letting go, making sure they stayed in contact for as long as was reasonable. He laughed, closing his fingers around the ring, far more pleased with the little gift than he would ever let on.

“I need it.”

The ring was a little small, it was meant for a child, after all, so he carefully pulled the two sides apart, hoping to stretch it.

“I can’t stay. Ty’s got me doing laps.”

“What did you do?”

“Barone made me laugh while Ty was trying to talk through the plays and it threw him off.” David smiled when Daisy laughed. “It’s my own fault, he’s got a short fuse. I should know better.”

“Well, that’s my entertainment for the afternoon.”

“You’re gonna watch me run laps?”

“I’ll be sure to wave.”

She raised her hand and let it float airily past David’s face, like a monarch greeting her people. He smiled, then his expression brightened.

“Oh, I almost forgot.”

He dug into his pocket and brought out a crumpled white paper bag. He held it out to her. Daisy glanced at him before taking it and peeking inside. It was more of the little purple candies he brought her last week.

Daisy looked up to find David smiling up at her almost hopefully. Heart fluttering, she dipped her hand into the bag and pulled out one of the packets.

“Palacco’s gonna be mad if you keep stealing from him,” she murmured, keeping her gaze down. 

She thought if she looked at David again, the way he gazed up at her so sweetly, his big brown eyes soft and warm, she’d blush so badly, they’d be able to see her from the field. 

David laughed, looking down at his hands, interlocked on the cold steel counter. 

“Ah, no, I…” He had hoped to get away with it without explaining his story, but nothing got past Daisy. “Well, I was thinking about how you said you didn't like ice cream, and I wanted you to have _something_ , you know, so. I had to ask Palacco where he got them from. Turns out it was this tiny British store on the other side of town. They have tons of cool stuff.”

Daisy looked up, surprised.

“You went all the way across town to get these?”

David blushed right down to his socks. She looked so surprised, like she couldn’t believe anyone would make such an effort for her. David wondered if he should tell her he’d gladly drive to Argentina and back if it made her smile, but then again, that wasn’t very cool.

“You said you liked them,” he said simply, then slipped the ring she’d given him onto the fourth finger of his right hand. 

Before Daisy could react, or even say thank you, David reached over the counter and tapped the end of her nose.

“Gotta go. See you around, Dais.”

He hopped off the stool and hurried out of the door, leaving Daisy stunned. He’d only been in the store for a few minutes, but so much had happened, she was still trying to wrap her head around it all. She brushed her fingertips against the end of her nose. He called her ‘Dais’. 

Gino came out of the kitchen, pleased to find the store was free of boys. Though he’d never admit it, he didn’t actually mind David hanging around. He was quieter than the rest of his team, and more polite. Watching him moon over his daughter wasn’t exactly ideal, but Gino supposed it was inevitable, and much better than any of the other boys trying their luck.

He knew Daisy could look after herself, she ran rings around every one of those idiots, and Gino would never police who his daughter dated, but he was a tiny bit pleased that the one boy who’d caught her eye also seemed to be the sweetest kid on the team, and looked at Daisy like she hung the stars. It also helped that he posed absolutely no threat; Gino could snap him like a twig. 

He peered around his daughter and frowned when he saw what David had handed her.

“He brought you candy?” He kissed her shoulder, then went to clean the fryers. “Does he know where you work?”

Daisy smiled down at the little bag, thinking about the boy with the lovely eyes and the terrible swing.

“It was really sweet of him actually.”

* * *

Another slow Saturday morning for the _Snack Shack_ meant that Daisy was sat at a table by the door when David finally got a break. She was painting her nails black. He smiled when he saw that her tongue was poking out in concentration.

David had been waiting to sneak away for hours. He had a feeling Ty was starting to notice he kept disappearing, but thankfully, their game against the Hyde Park Hummingbirds wasn’t going well, and he was a little distracted. 

It was too hot, as usual, and the game was boring, as usual, and all David could think about was the AC, the food, and best of all, the pretty girl, waiting for him at the _Snack Shack._

To his delight, Daisy beamed when she saw him come in. David wasn’t sure he’d ever get used to the way his heart tripped over itself whenever she smiled at him, a part of him hoped he never would. 

He slid into the seat across from her, his back to the door. Gino wasn’t in the kitchen. He asked where he was but Daisy explained he was only out back, sorting out the bins. 

She finished painting her little fingernail then put the lid back on her nail varnish, waving her hand in the air to help it dry. To her surprise, she saw that David was still wearing the plastic ring she gave him last week.

“You kept it,” she murmured, reaching out and grazing her fingertip over the faux jewel. 

David grinned. 

“Yeah, of course! You gave it to me!”

Daisy’s jaw went slack, her lips parting as a soft ‘oh’ fell from her. She hadn’t meant for him to keep it, she was just kidding around. God, he was so sweet, she just wanted to grab him by the front of his shirt and pull him into a kiss that’d knock his socks off.

Instead, she asked,

“Do you want some ice cream?” 

That day, Daisy did something she vowed she’d never do. She let one of the Diamondbacks behind the counter. Thankfully, her dad was still out back, otherwise she was sure this would kill him stone dead.

Although, he _had_ taken a bit of a shine to David over the past few months. He’d even mentioned him one day at home, when he asked what David had studied at college. Daisy told him she didn’t know, and when she asked why he was asking, her dad just brushed her off. 

She handed David a scoop and told him to have at it. He seemed uncertain at first, and kept glancing back into the kitchen, as if he was worried Gino would suddenly appear behind him, but eventually, he relaxed and listened carefully as she pointed out all the flavours.

As he leaned over the counter, rambling excitedly about each new flavour, their hips kept bumping, and their elbows, until finally, they were leaning into each other like it was the most natural thing in the world.

David’s hand found the small of Daisy’s back many times as he carefully moved around her. She could feel his warmth, even through his clothes, and once or twice, Daisy considered pinning his little hips against the counter and kissing him senseless, but unfortunately, shyness won them both.

They sat down across from each other again. Neither of them addressed that their legs were all tangled under the table, but the smile David shot her left Daisy feeling a little dizzy.

While he ate, Daisy dug into the sweets he brought her last week. She was still working on them, savouring each packet to make them last. Daisy looked up when David made a noise, deep in his throat.

“This is the best ice cream I ever had.”

Daisy laughed softly. He had eye black on today, though she had no idea why. It’s not like he needed it. Maybe he just got excited and put some on to feel like part of the team. It hadn’t even smudged at the edges, there wasn’t a drop of sweat on him. He really never left that bench. Daisy felt a wave of fondness wash over her, warm and soft, like sunlight through glass.

She laughed again when she realised that David was almost finished.

“How can you eat all that?”

He’d gone all out, piling as many different flavours into the bowl as possible, and had still found room for sprinkles and a cherry or two.

“I’m a growing boy.”

Daisy snorted.

“David, you haven’t grown since you were fifteen.”

David watched her reach for her bottle of nail varnish again. She began to paint her other hand, taking her time, making sure she didn’t get any on her skin.

“I think it’s funny you’re still trying that,” he said at last.

Daisy didn’t look up from her work

“What that?”

“You being mean to me isn’t going to make me like you any less, probably the opposite, actually. My affections cannot be assuaged.”

He was being silly, but Daisy stopped painting her middle fingernail. Slowly, she looked up, heart pounding.

“You have affections?”

She was half afraid he was only teasing her, but David nodded, turning his attention back to his ice cream.

“For you, yes.”

“What kind?”

“Oh, all sorts. Why do you think I keep coming back in spite of your insults and your scary dad?”

Her face was definitely pink now, but Daisy tried to keep her cool. She took his free hand, turning it over so that it lay flat against the table, then started to paint his thumbnail. 

“The ice cream. And the stimulating conversation.”

David pointed his spoon at her.

“Both valid answers.”

“Why do you keep coming back, David?”

He looked down at his bowl, then at their hands. She’d laid one of hers across his to keep him still, while the other carefully turned his thumb so that she could reach every corner. And he let her, he’d let her do anything to him, so long as she kept smiling at him like that.

“Because you’re smart,” he said quietly. “And funny. And beautiful. And I like that you’re honest. And a big flirt.”

Daisy gasped and looked up.

“I am _not_.”

“You _are_! You’re terrible!” David scoffed, almost pulling his hand away from her as he gestured wildly, but she kept him still. “I walk into this place and it's blush city.”

Daisy was so bewildered, she couldn’t seem to find her footing. To make matters worse, Gino chose then to come back out into the kitchen. He spotted them sitting together, then he saw his daughter holding David’s hand. He decided not to say anything for the sake of his blood pressure, and began whistling passive-aggressively instead. 

Daisy still couldn’t believe they were even having this conversation. He’d pulled the rug out from under her, and now she couldn’t think of a single retort, or even anything relatively intelligent to say. In the end, she just grumbled in a way that reminded David very much of her father, and went back to painting his fingernails. 

“You’re ridiculous,” she said, shaking her head. 

David grinned. He knew that, for once, he’d flustered her. He leaned a little closer, not enough to invade her personal space, though, he supposed she’d already broken that barrier by keeping his hand in hers, but just enough so that he could talk to Daisy without Gino overhearing. 

“Would you kiss me if your dad wasn’t here?”

It was bold, he knew it, but he liked to think he understood Daisy, understood how she operated, and she understood him too. Bold might just work. 

Her hands stopped. When Daisy looked up, she found David smiling a smile she’d never seen before. It was only small, soft, but it reflected in his lovely, dark eyes. He was only kidding, teasing her like she so often teased him, but Daisy thought she saw something silvery and bright flash across his face. Hope. 

Slowly, she brushed her thumb against the back of his hand, and it made David shiver despite the heat 

“Shame he is here,” she said, leaning across the table to meet him halfway. “We’ll never get to find out.”

Though he could barely breathe, David’s smile spread into a grin. He gave her a pointed look.

“You _are_ a flirt.”

Daisy just shook her head and went back to painting his nails.

“Shut up and eat your ice cream, Stein.”

David smiled at her, even though she wasn’t looking. The sun behind her made Daisy’s black hair shine, her pretty face encircled by golden light. But then, she always looked a little like that to him.

David glanced at the kitchen and caught Gino watching them. He tensed, and almost pulled his hand away from Daisy, but her dad just raised his eyebrows and turned away. David supposed that was Gino’s way of giving them his blessing.

He turned back to Daisy when she held up his hand so that he could inspect her work. David laughed softly and asked how on earth he was supposed to take this stuff off. 

Daisy just grinned and gestured for him to give her his other hand, which he did without hesitation, while in the kitchen, Gino listened to them chatting with a smile.

* * *

David took off his cap, wringing it between his hands as he began the short walk up to the _Snack Shack_. He hadn’t been able to sit comfortably all day. David was always itching to leave the dugout, the other boys were used to it by now, but even though their attention was on their game against the Beacon something-or-others, they couldn’t help noticing David was even more restless than usual. 

When Ty finally called for play to recommence, David jumped up like he’d been sitting on a spring. It was only as he drew closer to the store that he grew apprehensive again. He had something to ask Daisy, and he was hopelessly afraid she would say ‘no’. But what if she said ‘yes’?

David was already a bundle of nerves, but then, to his surprise, he found Daisy sitting outside the _Snack Shack,_ watching the game. How did she manage to catch him on the back foot every time? David was sure he was going to marry this girl.

Daisy pushed her sunglasses up into her hair as he came closer, grinning at him so prettily that David forgot where he was for a second.

“We saw Pat freak out,” she said, nodding in the direction of the field. “That guy’s a lunatic.”

David frowned.

“He’s not, he’s just… Passionate.” 

He knew it was useless before he’d even finished his sentence. David gave her a lopsided grin and Daisy laughed, gesturing to the empty seat beside her.

“Seemed a little unnecessary to me.”

David hesitated before settling into the chair. He wasn’t sure where Gino was, or when he’d be coming back, and he didn’t want to be sitting in his seat when he did. But Daisy had offered it to him, and he was trying to make more of an effort to not be so openly terrified of Gino in front of his daughter, so he made himself comfy, keeping one eye on the door of the _Snack Shack_. 

“He’s kinda my hero,” David said quietly, keeping his eyes on the ground.

Daisy scoffed.

“That guy? David, there are better people to look up to.”

She had a point. To say that Pat wasn’t to everyone’s taste was putting it politely. When David first joined the team, Palacco had told him to watch out for Murray. He had asked what exactly he was supposed to be looking out for, but Palacco just told him he’d know it when he saw it. 

He was confused, but found out what he meant pretty quickly the day of his first real game. Off the pitch, Pat was friendly and surprisingly easy-going, but as soon as the umpire commenced play, it was like someone had flipped a switch. David could hardly believe what he was seeing.

“He’s a great player. He just puts too much pressure on himself, I think we all do. You should see him when he’s not-”

“Screaming?” 

David laughed softly and sat back in his chair. The sun was far too hot again, and he was starting to sweat through his shirt despite spending most of the morning in the shade of the dugout, which wasn’t very attractive. He watched Daisy fan herself with one hand. She was sweating too, her dark hair frizzy from the heat, and yet somehow, she was still the most beautiful girl he’d ever seen. And he trusted her. 

“He’s really nice to me,” David said, feeling his cheeks turn pink when Daisy turned to look at him. “Gives me tips. Doesn’t make fun of me. He even offered to take me to a game sometime with his dad since my family aren’t really into sports.”

Daisy smiled softly. That was surprisingly sweet. 

There was something about David today, though she wasn't sure what it was. He hadn’t shaved in a while, so he had a little stubble, and his hair was soft and curly, and sticking up at odd angles from being stuffed under his cap. He looked so handsome, she just wanted to kiss and kiss him in front of the whole field. 

David caught her gaze and Daisy jumped before she remembered that her gaze was hidden by her sunglasses. She cleared her throat, trying to get back on track.

“Still, I pity his girlfriend.”

“He doesn’t have one.”

“Shocking.”

David laughed softly, then looked down at his interlocked hands. He was still wearing the ring she gave him. He rarely took it off, and when his family asked him about it, he just told them a friend had given it to him. He wasn’t sure how convincing he was. David had the tendency to smile and blush whenever he thought about Daisy, and he was sure they must’ve caught on by now, but they were polite enough not to say anything. 

They watched the game for a while in silence, but it was nice, comfortable. Tree stepped up to bat, swung, and missed, missed again, then finally made contact. He scrambled to first base while the lacklustre crowd gave a feeble applause. 

“Actually,” David said quietly. “He’s been in love with this girl forever. But he can’t tell her.”

There was silence for moment, then Daisy asked, 

“Why not?”

“I think he’s scared.”

“Of what?”

David hesitated. He wasn’t sure if he should go on, he probably shouldn’t have mentioned it in the first place. But he saw interest flash across Daisy’s face and knew he'd never hear the end of it if he didn't elaborate.

“She's his best friend. They’ve known each other their whole lives. He doesn’t think he’s good enough for her.”

Daisy hummed, then turned to look back at the field. She scanned the diamond for Pat and found him stuck on third base. Even from the _Snack Shack_ , they could hear him muttering angrily to himself.

“What’s the lucky girl’s name?” 

David smiled. 

“Belle.”

To his surprise, Daisy’s face lit up.

“I know her!” She beamed at the thought of her friend. “Yeah! Yeah, she’s great. We hang out every time she comes to watch Maz.”

Daisy rarely paid attention to the people that came into the _Snack Shack_ , they all blurred into one after a while. But she remembered the first time Belle Ramos came into the store. 

It was a few weeks back, long before David joined the team. When she came in with the rest of the Diamondbacks, Daisy immediately asked if they were bothering her. As the other boys filtered out, Belle just laughed and said she was used to them, until it was only her and Maz left. 

He introduced them, explaining that he, Belle, and Murray had all gone to high school together, and Belle was home from college for the summer.

They got talking, and when Maz had to get back to practice, Daisy asked if Belle would rather hang out with her in the cool than sit on the side-lines. Belle seemed shy, so she was surprised when she agreed. By the end of practice, they were firm friends, and soon Belle was coming by the _Snack Shack_ just to see her.

Although he usually hated people hanging around in his store if they weren’t going to buy anything, Gino took an immediate shine to Belle and told her she could stay as long as she liked. 

_‘She’s smart, like my daughter,’_ he’d say. _‘She doesn’t suffer idiot boys.’_

Daisy smiled at the thought. 

Of all the boys on the team, she couldn’t believe Belle would fall for someone like Pat Murray. They seemed to be total opposites. Daisy didn’t think she’d ever even seen them interact. She barely ever talked about him.

“She's great,” David said. “She was sweet to me when I was new. And she makes me feel tall.”

Daisy laughed.

“She _is_ sweet. Way too sweet for that idiot.”

David had to agree. Belle was lovely, a little shy, but so smart, smarter than all the D-Backs put together. 

“Hey, don’t tell anyone I told you all this, okay?” he asked. 

It was a sensitive, rarely-spoken subject amongst the D-Backs, but it was almost like a taboo to mention Belle around Pat, even though they weren’t entirely sure why. David didn’t want to ruin all the progress he’d made in befriending Pat, and he didn’t want the rest of the boys to think he couldn’t be trusted. But Daisy smiled and swept her finger in an ‘X’ over her chest. 

“Cross my heart.” 

They were quiet again for a moment, watching the boys run around the diamond, until finally, Daisy asked,

“Do you think there’ll be a happy ending?”

She watched as David’s expression turned thoughtful. It was a sweet look on him, the way his eyebrows scrunched together, his lips parting so that his front teeth stuck out a little. He was making it desperately hard to not just grab him and kiss him.

“I think so,” he said. He smiled gently. “I’m just saying, there’s more to him, you know?”

Daisy nodded. She didn’t know Pat all that well, they’d spoken a few times but only when he was ordering food. He certainly wasn’t a favourite of her dad’s, that’s for damn sure. But she supposed she could give him the benefit of the doubt, for David. And Belle.

“What about you?” she asked. 

David shook his head, confused. He gave her that cheeky, lopsided smile, the one that made her heart pound. 

“What about me?”

“Any secret loves? Anyone you’ve been hiding your feelings from?”

He looked down at his shoes again. He was blushing. She felt bad for teasing him, and almost apologised, but then David smiled bashfully. 

“I don’t think I’m that good at hiding it,” he said softly.

Daisy’s smirk slowly faded. If her heart was pounding before, it had all but stopped now. He’d done it again, he’d caught her off-guard. Daisy wasn’t at all used to being the one who was flustered, but David had managed it again and again and again. She supposed that had to mean something. 

Daisy let out a long, silent breath, hoping it would slow her frantic heart, but it had little effect. She didn't know what to say, she'd never been very good with words, but it had taken a lot of courage for David to admit that. He deserved to know how she felt too. 

But her nerves got the better of her, and when David looked up again, his cheeks still pink, Daisy couldn’t remember how to speak at all. The awning over the _Snack Shack_ ’s door cast a shadow over half of his face, but the half in the sunlight seemed to glow, and David’s dark eyes were soft and gentle as summer rain. 

Her confidence faltered, so instead, Daisy sat back in her chair and called out,

“Dad? How did you meet Mom?”

“Oh, it’s the most romantic story you ever heard.”

The deep voice almost made David jump out of his chair. He looked round and found Gino standing in the entrance to the store, leaning one huge shoulder against the door frame. David wondered how long he’d been standing there, and how much he’d overheard.

He looked at Daisy and found she was smiling. She knew how close her father had been the whole time. David narrowed his eyes at her, mouthing _‘you…’_ , but when she laughed softly, he found he couldn't stop smiling either. 

“Much better than meeting at the ballpark,” Gino said, then slapped his hand down on David’s shoulder with a big, booming laugh. 

While David looked panicked, Daisy just rolled her eyes, blushing.

“Ignore him.”

He didn’t seem to mind that he’d stolen his seat, but David still moved to the edge, ready to jump up as soon as Gino wanted his chair back. He was still hoping to find his way into his good books, so David asked,

“What’s the story?”

“Me and my buddy, we snuck onto the college campus one night. We wanted to steal something or make a mess, I don’t know, we were dumb kids. We broke into their big fancy auditorium, thinking it’d be cool to look around, you know?”

Gino sipped his coffee, before continuing.

“It was late so we thought it would be empty, but there were students in there, practicing for some recital. There was a girl playing the cello. I remember, we didn’t say anything, or even look at each other, but me and my buddy knew we wanted to stick around. Now, neither of us had an ear for classical music and I don’t know my Beethoven from my Bon Jovi but… This music. You’ve never heard anything like it in your life.”

David glanced at Daisy and found she was already looking at him, watching him for his reaction. She gave him a small smile, as if to say ‘ _you’re not ready for this’,_ then winked. 

David knew she must’ve heard it a thousand times before, but it softened his heart to know that she still loved hearing her father’s story, and that she wanted him to hear it too. For the first time, he almost felt like a part of this little family, and when Gino turned his body so that he was speaking directly to him, David didn’t think he’d ever felt so at home in his life.

“The next day, I tried to sing it to my Ma cos she knew all sorts of music. She pulled out a record and there it was, the same song. But it didn’t sound as good. And I realised, it wasn’t the song that got me, it was the girl playing it.”

Gino stopped his story while he sat down on the front step, groaning when his old knees creaked. David offered him his seat back but Gino waved him off, making sure to ruffle Daisy's hair fondly before he went on.

“I went back to the college the next day, found her playing the same song. I told her I thought she was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen, or heard.” He laughed, his face softening. “We’ve been married thirty-five years.” 

David didn’t think he’d ever seen Gino as happy as he did when talking about his wife. The sharpness was gone from his eyes, and he didn’t look nearly so big and terrifying anymore. For the first time, he saw him the way that Daisy did, just a sweet, if grumpy man, who loved his family, and wanted to protect his daughter from the idiots that came into his store. 

“That’s the story to beat.”

David looked up at Daisy when she spoke, bringing him out of his thoughts. Her dark eyes were soft and there was something about them, something about her gaze that made his poor heart lighter. 

David smiled.

“I think we can manage that.”

Daisy gazed at him, so beautiful in the sunlight. For the first time, she smiled without hesitation, without thinking about it, without trying to hold back, and it was beautiful. Everything about her was beautiful. David could look at her forever and never get bored. Daisy Di Angelo, his sundae girl.

When she turned away, it felt like the sun had gone behind a cloud, but then Daisy asked, 

“Dad, can I take my lunch break?”

Though Gino looked like he instinctively wanted to say ‘no’, he trusted his daughter, and David, and knew better than to argue, so he let Daisy go. 

She jumped up, gesturing for David to follow her, which he did immediately, quickly thanking Gino for his story before he hurried after her, not wanting to get left behind.

Daisy led him to a spot on the opposite side to the parking lot. They had to duck down as they hurried around the fence, trying not to get caught, but David was sure someone must have been able to hear them giggling. 

The ground rose up around the baseball field like a bowl, and they sat on the grassy ridge, far enough away from the game that they wouldn’t be able to spot David, and close enough to the _Shack_ that Daisy could hurry back if she was needed.

He heard Daisy let out a sigh as she settled in the tall grass, tilting her face up towards the brilliant blue sky for a moment before she gave him a sweet smile. David made an attempt to return it but his nerves got the better of him, and he was afraid it looked a little awkward.

They’d been alone before but never away from the safety of the _Snack Shack._ This was new, different, and all the confidence he’d gained over the past months had faded. Daisy didn’t seem to mind though, she just laughed, and turned to watch the game. 

“Do I still make you nervous, David Stein?”

He looked down at the grass, curling a few blades around his fingers.

“Honestly, I think you always will,” He laughed softly. “In a good way, though. You always- Everything I feel for you is good.”

That hadn’t come out quite the way he wanted it. David almost couldn’t bear to look up, but he was glad that he did. Daisy’s cheeks were all rosy, and not from the hot sun. 

They were quiet again, though his thoughts were so loud, David was worried she’d be able to hear them. He glanced across at her. Daisy's gaze was on the field, but she didn’t appear to be paying attention to the game. 

He let a few more moments of comfortable silence pass, then screwed his courage to the sticking-place and reached out, brushing his fingers against hers. 

Daisy turned her head ever so slightly, just enough so that she could see him out of the corner of her eye, but David kept his gaze forward, his face hot. With his heart thudding in his ears, he carefully took her hand in his. 

When Daisy didn't say anything, David almost began to panic, but then she turned her hand so that she could lace her fingers between his. David exhaled shakily, and it made Daisy laugh. With a smile, she let her thumb gently rub against the side of his index finger, feeling almost giddy when David met her gaze and looked away again, embarrassed.

“There’s a big game this Saturday,” he said quietly. “I guess it’s not important but it matters to us. Are you…” He looked up, praying he didn’t sound too hopeful. “Are you going to be here?”

His seemingly perpetual grin was gone. Daisy realised that he was trying to ask her something important. As much as her nervous heart was telling her to change the subject before things became too maudlin, she forced herself to listen, to be there for David the way he deserved.

“Do you want me to be?” she asked softly.

David looked down at the long grass. There were tiny flowers dotted all around them, white petals punctured by a yellow centre. Daisies.

“It’d just be nice to see you,” he admitted.

Daisy’s heart rose up in her chest. She couldn’t believe how sweet he was. In truth, next Saturday was one of her very rare days off, and she’d intended to spend most of the day in bed. Going to the game meant getting up early, and battling the (admittedly meagre) crowds, and having to actually watch baseball. But she supposed, it could be worth it if it made David smile.

“Will you be batting?”

David snorted.

“Maybe. Miracles do happen. I just…” He gave her a rueful smile. “I’d like you to be there.”

Daisy looked down at their hands. David’s nails were chipped but still black. He hadn’t been able to find any nail varnish remover at home so had decided to just let it fade away with time. 

“I’ll have to make a banner or something,” she said, meeting his gaze again. “So everyone knows what team I’m rooting for. Unless Ty’s got a spare jersey somewhere.” 

David considered this, then took off his D-Backs cap and carefully placed it on Daisy’s head. She couldn’t help laughing as he pulled it down over her hair, tugging at the brim and the back of the cap to make sure it was on properly. 

“Are you sure?” she asked softly, her attention stolen as David leaned closer.

He really did have the most wonderful eyes. They were so dark, dark like his long eyelashes that brushed his cheeks. Daisy swallowed, letting her gaze move slower than necessary, lingering on his collarbones and the column of his throat. When she finally did meet his eyes, she found David was grinning at her. 

“I have another one,” He lifted the brim of the cap so that he could see her face properly. “Looks better on you anyway.”

Daisy wrinkled her nose, unsure, but as she reached up and adjusted his hat, she thanked him quietly with a smile like sunflowers.

“Oh, I don’t know,” she said. “I bet you look pretty cute in your uniform.”

“You should see me out of it.”

“Okay.”

That smile, it was going to get him into trouble one day, he could tell. David gazed at her for a moment, only just beginning to realise how close they were. He followed the curve of her face, the faint freckles that patterned her skin, the shape of her mouth. 

Daisy felt her stomach pleasantly twist into knots as his gaze fell to her lips again. Her heart felt like it was going to implode, it was beating so fast. She raised her chin at the same time as David leaned forward, just a little, as if in a trance. He kept glancing between her eyes and her mouth, moving purposefully slow so that she had every opportunity to pull back, but she didn't.

He was still a few tantalising inches away but Daisy could feel him as if he were pressed against her. She watched as his eyes slid half-closed, and he tilted his head forward until they were so close that their noses brushed. 

“Dais…”

He murmured her name with such reverence, it took her breath away. Daisy’s lips parted as his breath brushed her cheek, then his fingertips as he reached up and tucked her hair behind her ear.

But then, someone else called her name. She could barely hear him over the cacophony from the game, but her dad was calling her back to the store. 

Daisy put her hand over David’s mouth. He jumped, eyes snapping open, and she gave him an apologetic smile.

“See you Saturday, slugger,” she said, then leaned forward and kissed the back of her hand. 

With a grin that made David forget his own name for a second, Daisy ruffled his hair, then hurried back to the _Snack Shack_ before her dad came and got her himself. 

David watched her go, his head and heart still spinning. Just when he thought he couldn’t feel anymore lovesick, Daisy looked back and waved. She was still wearing his hat.

As soon as she was out of sight. David groaned and flopped onto his back in the grass. Thoughts of Daisy bloomed in his mind like her namesakes, the smile in her voice when she spoke his name, the way her eyes shone as he leaned in, how she had shivered, just a little, as he brushed her hair behind her ear. He could’ve stayed there in that moment forever. 

David sighed and opened his eyes. While he waited for his heart to stop pounding, he watched the clouds moving overhead, hoping one of them would drift his way and give him some shade. 

“David!” 

_Shit_. 

David raised his head and saw Ty standing at the fence, his face almost as red as his uniform. 

“What the fuck are you doing? Get your ass back in that dugout!”

David just sighed and let his head fall back again, cursing the name of whatever moron invented baseball.

* * *

It had not been a good day. There was no such thing as an uneventful game with the D-Backs, but this was one for the history books. 

It started off with Maz not getting drafted. It sent a ripple through the team. Anger, disappointment, and a feeling almost like grief, walled them in, pushing them against each other until they felt claustrophobic and started taking it out on each other. 

It didn’t help that the other team, the Bulldogs, had been antagonising them all day, and now the boys were like an exposed nerve. The Bulldogs were better funded, better organised, better in every aspect. Usually, it wouldn’t bother David, and for the most part, it didn’t. This game had passed like all the others. It was hot, he was benched, and he missed Daisy. But the fight was the final straw.

David stood by the wire fence of the dugout, pulling on gloves he had to borrow from Barone. He was trying not to let his frustration get the better of him, but he could still hear the sickening crunch as Garvey hit the ground. David had never been in a fight in his life, but it took three guys to pull him away from one Bulldog. He was just glad Daisy hadn’t been around to see it.

He looked up and scanned the crowds for what felt like the thirtieth time that day. Where _was_ Daisy? He’d stopped by the _Snack Shack_ before the game started, but she wasn’t there. He’d even gathered his courage enough to ask Gino, but he said she was at home, helping her mother. He didn’t want to push him, so he didn’t ask if she’d mentioned anything about today’s game. Now David was up to bat, and she still wasn’t here. 

He blew out a long breath, turning his borrowed helmet over in his hands. He’d never even worn one before, Ty didn’t think he’d need to. 

“Fuck…” David breathed, shaking his head.

This was ridiculous. The whole day was ridiculous. He still ached from the fight, he was covered in bruises, and his new uniform was filthy and stretched from where some idiot had grabbed him. He just wanted to get back to the dugout where he belonged, but even Palacco wasn’t there anymore, he was about to bat.

David shook his head again, keeping his gaze down, praying this would all be over soon. But then, above the noise of the crowds, and the boys yelling in the dugout, he thought he heard a voice. Someone was calling his name.

“David!”

He looked up towards the fence, trying to figure out where the voice was coming from, but he couldn’t see anyone who looked familiar. 

“Hey!”

Bewildered, David turned around and saw Daisy waving at him. Her face was flushed as she pushed through the crowds standing behind the batter’s box, still calling his name as she fought her way to the fence. 

David had never been so relieved to see someone in his entire life. He thought she wasn’t coming. He thought she’d forgotten. But no, here she was, his sundae girl, wearing his cap, an ‘8’ painted on her right cheek, just as she said she would. 

Ignoring the whistles and shouts from the other D-Backs who had also noticed her arrival, David went to meet her at the fence. Tears pricked the corners of his eyes but he blinked them away. He tried to string together all his jumbled feelings into a single thought so that he could express just how happy he was to see her, but all that came out was a choked laugh. David was worried his voice would sound hoarse and stretched, but as always, Daisy spoke first.

“David, I’m so sorry, I’m so late,” she said in a rush, chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath. “I had to help my mom call a plumber cos she doesn’t know how to use her phone, and then there was traffic and- God, sorry, it doesn’t matter. I’m so sorry, honey.”

David laughed, all the tension that had been building up since he first stepped onto the field leaving him in an instant. He couldn't believe how good it was to see her. His cheeks still pink from the sweet name, David shook his head. 

“It’s okay, Dais.”

“Did I miss anything?”

“Uh…” He glanced at the dugout, then the ambulance, and the police car. “No, not really.” 

Daisy looked so relieved, he didn’t have the heart to tell her all that had gone on today. He didn’t have time anyway. Palacco had just stepped up to the plate behind him. He didn’t have long.

“I’m so glad you made it,” he said, moving closer to the fence so that he could lower his voice. “It’s really good to see you.”

“It’s good to see you too.” Daisy beamed at him. “Don’t you look sweet in your little uniform.”

She poked her fingers through the chain-link and hooked them over the top of his belt. Smiling, she pulled him closer until David was pressed tight against the fence. He let out a shaky breath as she looked him up and down, bottom lip caught between her teeth. If it weren’t for the fence, he’d be pressed against her instead.

“Uh, thanks,” he managed to sputter out, wincing as his voice cracked.

Daisy smiled and gently let him go again, but she stayed close to the fence. The crack of the bat hitting the ball made her look up. When she saw Palacco running, she frowned, confused. Ryan never played if he didn’t have to. They must be a few short today. That’s when she finally noticed the helmet in David’s hands. 

“Are you up to bat?” 

David laughed nervously, twisting his wrist so that the helmet bumped against his thigh.

“Looks like it.”

“David, that’s amazing! You’re not nervous, are you?”

David’s smile faded, then disappeared altogether. 

“Uh… No! No, no, it’s, uh…”

Daisy watched his shoulders sink. His gaze dropped to somewhere near her middle, then fell to the ground. Daisy felt her own smile fade. She couldn't pretend to know what he must be feeling, but she knew, without a doubt, that David was the bravest boy she’d ever met. She almost reached out to reassure him, but the fence stretched high above both their heads.

“You’ll be brilliant, Davy. I know it,” she said, moving closer and poking her fingers through the fence again.

David gave her a weak smile, but his apprehension was tangible. 

Daisy glanced at the gate, wondering whether she should risk pulling David off the field, or even stepping onto the dirt herself, but she knew either option would lead to one of them getting yelled at. She’d just have to make do. 

“Come here.”

With a sweet smile, she pushed her fingers as far through the fence as she could, and wrapped them around the front of David's jersey. Daisy pulled him up against the fence again and met him halfway. David felt the metal press against his cheeks, then her knuckles softly digging into his stomach, and then, at last, Daisy kissed him, soft and slow and sweet. 

David moaned softly, too surprised to care how loud he was, and tried to press his body against hers, but the fence got in the way. She tasted sweet, like sunrays, and heaven, just heaven. 

Far too soon, Daisy pulled away. Stunned, David tried to chase her lips, and banged his head against the fence. 

Daisy laughed at his eagerness, her cheeks pink. She could still feel David’s soft lips against hers, and it was all she could do to stop herself vaulting the fence to kiss him again. 

She watched him rub his forehead, his sweet face all screwed up. The chain-link had left little impressions in his skin, his dark hair sticking up in tufts. 

“Now how do you feel?”

David blinked at her, dazed. Then a slow, dopey grin spread across his face.

“Like I could bat a thousand,” he said. He raised his eyebrows, his grin turning cheeky. “One more for luck?”

Daisy laughed, still feeling a little giddy herself. 

“How about you get a hit,” she said. “And after the game, I’ll show you just how proud I am.”

David felt heat rise in his cheeks as she smiled up at him. Suddenly, all his worry was gone. The fight didn’t matter, the game didn’t matter, the fact that he was about to try and get a hit after months of practice had proved he was pretty much incapable, none of it mattered. Daisy had kissed him, kissed him in front of a whole baseball field, and she was smiling at him, smiling at him so beautifully, he didn’t want to look away. 

“You got it,” David murmured, leaning forward and resting his head against the fence. 

She wanted to put her hand on the back of his neck and pull him into a kiss that’d make them both feel lightheaded. She wanted to press him against the fence that separated them and make him groan into her mouth. She wanted to hear what it sounded like when he moaned her name. Daisy wanted a lot of things, but she settled for reaching up and softly kissing his forehead. 

She laughed when David closed his eyes and sighed, pressing his body against the fence like he was trying to get closer. Then Maz called his name. He had to go.

David practically had to drag himself away from the fence, and Daisy, his reluctance making him sluggish. But as he approached the plate, he noticed that the Bulldogs had called for a brief timeout. They were switching pitchers.

Daisy almost couldn’t watch. Seeing David in the batter’s box for the first time was nerve-wracking enough, but then the new pitcher began to warm up, throwing so hard and fast, the ball was just a blur. With every thud against the catcher’s mitt, the knot in Daisy’s stomach twisted tighter. David looked so small next to the other players. She was just relieved her dad had no interest in today’s game, this was enough teasing fodder to last him a few months. 

She watched as Maz went up to speak to David, hopefully giving him a sorely needed pep talk. Whatever it was must have worked because when Maz was finished, David stood a little taller. Her heart felt like it could brim over as he met her gaze from across the pitch, then he gave her a tiny smile, and she knew he was going to be alright.

Daisy barely breathed as he marched up to the plate with renewed determination. He tapped the bat against the insides of his shoes, just as she’d seen him do in practice, then crouched down, preparing to swing.

“Time!"

All around her, people began to murmur, confused. Daisy frowned when she saw Dells gesture for David to come back to the dugout. It must’ve been some last-minute encouragement because when David went back to the plate, he was a lot more energetic. 

When David raised the bat this time, he seemed a lot more sure of himself. She watched, her whole body tensed, as David pulled in a long breath, giving himself one practice swing. 

The new pitcher was huge. She didn’t mean to, but when he raised his arm, Daisy shut her eyes, unable to watch. When she didn’t hear the ball make contact, she risked opening them again. 

David was still in the same position. She didn’t think he’d even swung. Her heart sank, but while the crowds tried to give him some encouragement, David turned and beamed at the boys in the dugout. 

Daisy wasn’t sure who was more bemused, her or the pitcher. He raised his arm again, sending the ball so fast that she almost couldn't keep her eyes on it, and it smacked into the catcher’s glove. This time, David did move, but only to mimic the umpire.

The boys in the dugout were only getting more rowdy. They rattled the fence, yelling David’s name between whoops and hollers, until even the boys in the outfield were joining in, even though they didn’t seem to understand why. 

Daisy certainly didn’t have a clue what was going on, all she cared about was that David was still beaming as he raised the bat for the third time.

This time, he actually swung, but it was miles too late. The umpire muttered something, then, 

“Strike three!”

David dropped the bat and punched both fists in the air, letting out a triumphant cry that the boys echoed. They jumped all over each other as David found his way back to the dugout, and immediately swarmed him like a pack of dogs, patting his shoulders, his back, his helmet, lifting him up so high that he banged his head against the ceiling.

Daisy just stared, completely lost. She couldn’t understand what had just transpired, but she didn’t care. She’d never seen David so happy. He finally looked like part of the team.

While the rest of the boys pressed themselves against the fence again to watch Maz step up to the plate, David stood in the open door of the dugout, looking for Daisy. When he finally found her, she gave him a confused, but happy smile that made him laugh. 

He would explain everything later. For now, all he could think about was the way Daisy’s lips had felt pressed against his, how she’d pulled his hips against his with just the slightest tug. 

_Yes,_ he thought, _I’m going to marry that girl._

Daisy returned David’s grin, then reached up and tapped her cheek. 

“Good job, Eight,” she murmured.

She didn’t think it was possible, but his smile grew even bigger. Then someone grabbed David’s shoulder and he and his attention were pulled back to the final pitch.

The game was over in the blink of an eye. One minute, Maz had raised the bat, the next, they were all running onto the field, yelling at the top of their lungs. 

It got to the point where David didn't even know who he was hugging, he just kept grabbing people. At one point his feet left the ground, but he had no idea who'd lifted him. His back was starting to hurt from all the congratulatory slaps, and his face ached from smiling, but he didn't care, he didn’t care about any of it. They won. David couldn't remember the last time he felt so happy. 

Wait. Yes, he could.

He finally broke free of the boys and scanned the crowds, searching for one face amongst hundreds. Then, as if he could hear her calling his name, he turned to the spot Daisy had taken him too last week, the little incline on the other side of the field. She was waiting for him.

David didn’t bother to say goodbye, or gather his things. He hurried out of the gate, past the _Snack Shack_ , and around the circumference of the field. He didn’t stop until he was within a few meters of Daisy.

She got to her feet as he drew closer, smiling so broadly, her face was starting to ache. She was so happy, she could hardly stand still, and so proud, she thought she must be just glowing with the love welling up inside her. 

“There’s my hero,” Daisy laughed softly, holding out her hand. “Davy, I’m so proud of y-”

He cupped her face in both hands and crashed his lips against hers with such force that Daisy stumbled before she caught herself. She grabbed onto the front of David’s jersey, to catch her balance and to pull him closer. Daisy moaned softly as his tongue pressed against hers, one of his hands moving round to hold her neck, the other finding her hip and squeezing, like he was making sure that she was really here, that this was happening. 

When he finally pulled away, they were both breathless. Once her vision had focused again, Daisy realised the ‘8’ she’d painted on her cheek had smudged David’s skin. His lips were pink and kiss-bitten, his dark eyes shining in the sunlight. 

“You wanna go out sometime?” David asked, once he’d caught his breath. 

Daisy laughed as he began to press soft little kisses all over her face, anywhere he could reach. 

“Sure. What did you have in mind?”

David pulled back just far enough so that he could meet her gaze, smiling that dorky, lopsided smile that had caught her heart’s attention the very first time they met, and had held it ever since. 

“We could go get ice cream?” David suggested.

Daisy just laughed, and pulled him into another kiss.


End file.
